Butler locked down defensively on DePaul Saturday at Hinkle Fieldhouse, pulling away for a 60-42 win. The win is the 20^th of the season for the Bulldogs, who have hit that number in 20 of the last 24 seasons.
 
DePaul's one three-pointer of the contest came in the final seconds, as Butler limited the Blue Demons to a 1-of-12 mark from behind the line. The Bulldogs forced DePaul into 17 turnovers while allowing only four assists. The 42 points allowed by Butler were the third-lowest total of the season and the lowest output by a BIG EAST opponent against Butler during the Bulldogs' seven seasons as a member of the conference.
 
"Our guys had great energy tonight, especially early and especially on the defensive end," said Butler coach LaVall Jordan, whose team had one of their two byes this season and did not play a mid-week game leading into Saturday's contest. "We did a fairly good job executing on offense. Their zone stymied us at times, but we figured it out and got some looks."
 
The best all-around statline of the night belonged to Butler's Kamar Baldwin. He had a career-high six steals to go along with three blocks and eight rebounds (both season-highs). Baldwin added nine points and five assists. Now with 360 career assists, Baldwin moved past Shelvin Mack for eighth on Butler's all-time list.
 
Sean McDermott and Jordan Tucker led the Bulldogs with 13 points apiece. All of Tucker's scoring came in the second half as the Bulldogs pulled away from DePaul.
 
McDermott had seven rebounds and matched career-highs with both four assists and two steals. Butler won despite shooting only 39 percent from the field, including 8-of-31 from three-point range.
 
The Bulldogs improve to 20-9 on the season and level their BIG EAST mark at 8-8 with two regular season games remaining. DePaul falls to 14-15 (2-14 BIG EAST).
 
Butler jumped out to a 13-2 lead on DePaul, which played without an injured Paul Reed Saturday night. After opening the game by making seven of its first 11 attempts from the field, Butler cooled off at the end of the first half (5-of-20 thereafter).
 
Three consecutive three-pointers by Tucker gave the Bulldogs a 53-32 lead with 6:11 to play, and there was little doubt left in the outcome.
 
No DePaul player found his way to double figures as the Blue Demons shot 33 percent from the field, including the 1-of-12 performance from behind the arc.
 
The Bulldogs finish off the home portion of their schedule Wednesday night when St. John's visits Hinkle Fieldhouse. The tip is schedule for 7 p.m., and seniors Baldwin, McDermott, Henry Baddley and Derrik Smits will be recognized in a postgame ceremony.